reservation in promotions in india

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RESERVATION IN PROMOTIONS IN INDIA- IS ITA TRUE FULFILLMENT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

AIMS?

Date: 12th September 2014

Submitted By: Submitted To:

Aiswarya Murali Ms. Aakanksha Kumar

BA, LL.B Faculty of CG-1

1st Semester

or! Count" #,$#%

NATIONAL L AW UNIV !SIT" # $OD%&U! SU'' ! S SSION

($UL" )N OV 'B ! 2014*

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A+,-o./ed eme-t

& take this o''ortunity to e('ress my )ratitu!e an! 'ersonal re)ar!s to ' Aa,a-, ha umar

for ins'irin) an! )ui!in) me !urin) the course of this 'ro*ect work. & also owe my sincere thanks

to the li+rary staff, ational Law ni ersity for the cor'oration an! facility e(ten!e! from time

to time !urin) the 'ro)ress of my 'ro*ect work.

Aiswarya Murali

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!e ear+h methodo/o y

Sub3e+t " Constitutional Go ernance

Topi+ " /eser ation in 0romotions in &n!ia- &s it a true fulfillment of social *ustice aims

For the com'letion of this 'ro*ect & ha e utili2e! the !octrinal research from 'rimary an!

secon!ary sources. Books, Articles an! commentaries on case laws ha e contri+ute! the ma*or

'art of my research.

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S+ope o the &ro3e+t

3his 'ro*ect takes into account the 'ro isions in the constitution for reser ation in 'romotions. &t

also analyses the a''lication of the amen!e! article in the real life scenario an! also runs throu)h

the hi)hly !e+ate! 4uestion of its true fulfillment of social *ustice an! e4uity.

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Tab/e o 5o-te-t

&ntro!uction......................................................................................................................................1

n!erstan!in) Article 15 Clause 67A8 9f 3he &n!ian Constitution................................................:

/eser ation in 0romotions- A com'rehensi e analysis...................................................................5

Meetin) constitutional 'ro isions with social *ustice......................................................................%Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11

Bi+lio)ra'hy..................................................................................................................................1#

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I-trodu+tio-

e li e in a country where e4uality an! free!om is 'romise! an! this free!om an! e4uality is a

)ift of !emocracy to us. 9ur constitution )i es us the ri)ht to free!om an! most im'ortantly to

e(ercise this free!om in an e4uita+le manner. At the same time it is incum+ent on the 'art of the

state to ensure that e4uality 're ails in all sections of the society. ;ence it was to achie e this

'ur'ose< the system of reser ation was enshrine! in our constitution. So that the so-calle!

!e'ri e! classes can come at 'ar with the so-calle! 'ri ile)e! ones. 3he Constitution of &n!ia

allows this kin! of 'ositi e !iscrimination in or!er to +rin) a+out e4uality of o''ortunity an!

status in the society. 3he foun!in) fathers ha! ne er inten!e! /eser ation to +e a tem'orary

'henomenon. /eser ations to the un!er'ri ile)e! were to +e e(ten!e! until they were u'lifte!

socially an! sta+ili2e! economically. /eser ations with the iew of hel'in) the !e'ri e! classes

to )ain a +etter footin) an! a ail e4ual +enefits of an in!e'en!ent an! free nation was intro!uce!

in the system.

Articles 16 to 1% of the &n!ian constitution )uarantees /i)ht to =4uality

to all 'ersons within the territory of &n!ia. Article .15718 is a facet of Art.16 an! they are closely

inter-connecte!. Art.15 718 'articulari2es the )enerality of Art.16 an! i!entifies, in a

constitutional sense, >e4uality of o''ortunity? in matters of em'loyment un!er the state. n!er

Art. 15768, the state may make reser ation of a''ointments or 'osts in fa or of any @+ackwar!

class of citi2ens which, in the o'inion of the state, is not a!e4uately re'resente! in the 'u+lic

ser ices un!er the state. /eser ation in 'romotions is one such 'ro ision un!er this Article

which is hi)hly !e+ate! u'on. 3he $$ th Amen!ment to the constitution inserte! Article 1576A8

'ermittin) reser ation e en in matters of 'romotion. But this was restricte! to 'romotions in

fa or of SC S3, 'ro i!e! they were not a!e4uately re'resente! in the ser ices un!er State. &n a

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su+se4uent !ecision, reser ation in matters of 'romotion has +een u'hel! 1.3hus +y insertin)

Article 1576A8, 0arliament amen!e! the Constitution an! remo e! the +ase as inter'rete! +y the

Su'reme Court in the Man!al case. /eser ation can therefore a''ly not only to initial

recruitment +ut also in matters of 'romotion.

1 Ashok Kumar Gupta State of Uttar Pradesh 71 $8DSCC#E1.

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U-der ta-di- Arti+/e 16 5/au e 4(A* O The I-dia- 5o- titutio-

Article 15 of the &n!ian constitution )uarantees e4uality of o''ortunity in matters of 'u+lic

em'loyment. 3here shall +e e4uality of o''ortunity for all citi2ens in matters relatin) to

em'loyment or a''ointment to any office un!er the state. Clause 6 un!er this article says that

nothin) in this article shall 're ent the state from makin) any 'ro ision for the reser ation of

a''ointments or 'osts in fa or of any +ackwar! class of citi2ens, which, in the o'inion of the

state, is not a!e4uately re'resente! in the ser ices un!er the state. 3his clause e('ressly 'ermits

the state to make a 'ro ision for the reser ation of a''ointments or 'osts in fa or of any

+ackwar! classes of citi2ens which, in the o'inion of the State are not a!e4uately re'resente! in

the ser ices un!er the State. 3he 'ower conferre! on the State can only +e e(ercise! in fa or of

+ackwar! classes an! therefore, whether a 'articular class of citi2ens is +ackwar!, is an o+*ecti e

factor to +e !etermine! +y the state. hile the State necessarily has to ascertain whether a

'articular class of citi2ens is +ackwar!. ow comin) into Clause 76A8, it )oes on like this

> othin) in this article shall 're ent the state from makin) any 'ro ision for reser ation in

matters of 'romotion 7with conse4uential seniority, to any class or classes of 'osts in the ser ices

un!er the state in fa or of the Sche!ule! Castes an! the Sche!ule! 3ri+es which, in the o'inion

of the State, are not a!e4uately re'resente! in the ser ices un!er the State.? #

3his Clause was inserte! +y the Constitution 7$$ th Amen!ment8 Act, 1 D to

o ercome the !ecision in Man!al case that no reser ation in 'romotions coul! +e ma!e un!er

Clause 768. ustifyin) 'romotion, to the Sche!ule! Castes an! Sche!ule! 3ri+e can!i!ates in

'romotion, the court ha! at one 'oint hel! that e en their seniority ac4uire! +y 'romotion o er

2 Durga Das Basu, Shorter Constitution of India, Vol 1.

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the )eneral class can!i!ates shall not +e affecte! +y su+se4uent 'romotion of the )eneral class

can!i!ates. &t has, howe er in A*ith Sin)h 7&&8 . State of 0un*a+ : , later o errule! itself an! hel!

that reser e! cate)ory 'romotes coul! not count their seniority in the 'romote! cate)ory from

the !ate of their continuous officiatin) in the 'romote! 'ost is- - is the )eneral can!i!ates who

were senior to them in lower cate)ory an! who were later 'romote!. A senior )eneral can!i!ate

at the lower le el, if he reaches the 'romotional le el later +ut +efore the further 'romotion of

the reser e! cate)ory can!i!ate, he will +e treate! as senior at the 'romotional le el to the

reser e! can!i!ate e en if the reser e! can!i!ate was 'romote! to that le el earlier. &nci!entally

the court also remarke! that Article 15768 an! 76-A8 is not a fun!amental ri)ht. &t is an ena+lin) 'ro ision which must +e +alance! a)ainst the ri)ht to e4uality )uarantee! in Articles 16 an!

15718. &t !isa)ree! with the !ecisions which treate! Article 15768 an! 76-A8 as fun!amental ri)hts

an! im'ose! an o+li)ation u'on the state to enforce them. 3he court su))este! a +alancin)

+etween Articles 15718 an! 15768 an! 76-A8. A)ain. &n State of Bihar . Bal Mukun! Shah 6 the

court has hel! that Article 15768 is an ena+lin) 'ro ision within which e en *u!icial ser ices can

+e +rou)ht. But while 'ro i!in) reser ation un!er this 'ro ision the re4uirement of maintenance

of efficiency of a!ministration un!er Article ::D must +e taken into account. Also, while makin)

reser ation in the su+or!inate *u!icial ser ices the ;i)h Court must +e consulte!. 3he Court has

state! that the 'rimary 'ur'ose of Art.15768 is !ue re'resentation of certain classes in certain

'osts. But, alon) with Art.15768, there are Arts.16, 15718 an! ::D as well. Arts. 16 an! 15 lay

!own the 'ermissi+le limits of the affirmati e action +y way of reser ation which may +e taken

un!er Arts. 15768 an! 1576-A8. hile 'ermittin) reser ations, Art. 16 an! 15718 also lay !own

3 71 8 $ SCC #E .

4 7#EEE8 6 SCC 56E.

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certain limitations at the same time. Art. ::D ensure that the efficiency of a!ministration is not

*eo'ar!i2e!. D

5 Mahen!ra 0 *ain, &n!ian Constitutional Law, Hol &

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!e er7atio- i- &romotio- ) A +omprehe- i7e a-a/y i

0romotion of S C an! S 3 em'loyees out of turn +ecause of the scheme of reser ation )i es rise

to se eral 'ro+lems, es'ecially, 'ertainin) to seniority of such 'ersons o er the em'loyees

+elon)in) to the )eneral cate)ory. 3he Su'reme Court has sou)ht to )ra''le with such 'ro+lems

kee'in) in iew consi!erations of e4uity an! fairness. hile talkin) a+out reser ation in

'romotions, a ery im'ortant case that shoul! +e cite! is I nion of &n!ia . Hir'al Sin)h

Chauhan 5. &n this casea two- u!)e Bench of the Su'reme Court reiterate! what the court sai! in

&n!ra Swahney . nion of &n!ia $, that 'ro i!in) reser ation in 'romotion factually create! a

'oi)nant an! o+*ectiona+le situation in Hir'al. 3he Court state! that it was all left to the

!iscretion of the res'ecti e States to !eci!e u'on the reser ation or roster in the matter of

'romotions an! hence it was not uniform. 3he )eneral can!i!ate who was senior will always

ha e 'reference o er the can!i!ate who 'romote! +y the irtue of reser ation notwithstan!in)

that he was 'romote! su+se4uent to the reser e! can!i!ate. Jet in A*it Sin)h anu*a . State of

0un*a+%, a three Bench of the Su'reme Court went a ste' ahea! +y takin) into consi!eration

Articles 16, 15 an! ::D, the Su'reme Court has now cate)orically lai! !own that when there

arises a 4uestion to fill u' a 'ost reser e! for a SC S3 can!i!ate in a still hi)her )ra!e, then a

SC S3 can!i!ate is to +e 'romote! first, +ut when the 4uestion is in res'ect of 'romotion to a

)eneral cate)ory 'ost, then the )eneral cate)ory can!i!ate who has +een 'romote! later woul! +e

6 A&/ 1 5 SC 66%

7 A&/ #EEE SC 6 %

8 A&/ 1 5 SC 11%%

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consi!ere! first for 'romotion a''lyin) either the 'rinci'le of seniority cum merit or merit cum

seniority.

hen a reser e! can!i!ate is recruite! at the initial le el he !oes not )o throu)h the same

normal 'rocess of selection which is a''lie! to a )eneral can!i!ate. A reser e! can!i!ate )ets

a''ointment to a 'ost reser e! for his )rou'. ;e is 'romote! to a hi)her 'ost without com'etin)

with )eneral can!i!ates. 3he normal seniority rule, from the !ate of continuous officiatin) from

the !ate of 'romotion a''lies when a can!i!ate is 'romote! in the normal manner an! not to the

'romotion of a reser e! can!i!ate. &n the case of Ba!a''ana ar . State of Karnataka , the

Su'reme Court has a)ain confirme! its !ecision in the 're ious cases an! !irecte! that the

seniority lists as +etween the )eneral an! reser e! 'romotes, an! 'romotions, +e re iewe! in the

li)ht of the rulin) in that case. 3he Court !irecte! that the seniority of the )eneral can!i!ates +e

restore! accor!in)ly.

&n each case the Court has )ot to +e satisfie! that the State has e(ercise! its !iscretion in

makin) reser ations in 'romotions for SCs an! S3s an! for which the State concerne! will ha e

to 'lace +efore the Court the re4uisite 4uantifia+le !ata in each case an! satisfy the Court that

such reser ations +ecame necessary on account of ina!e4uacy of re'resentation of SCs an! S3s

in a 'articular class or classes of 'osts without affectin) )eneral efficiency of ser ices as

man!ate! un!er Article ::D of the Constitution. Su+*ect to the limitations intro!uce! +y this

*u!)ment, the Su'reme Court u'hel! the Constitutional ali!ity of the Constitution 7$$th

Amen!ment8 Act, 1 D 1E.

9 3 #EEE7Su''l.:8 SC 6E%

10 M. Nagaraj . Union of India ,7#EE58 % SCC #1#

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'eeti- +o- titutio-a/ pro7i io- .ith o+ia/ 3u ti+e

3he ma*or contro ersy an! !e+ate that s )oin) on a+out the i!ea of reser ation is that

/eser ation 'olicy has +luntly 'romote! caste o er intellect an! har! work. As a result we are

'ro!ucin) su+stan!ar! en)ineers, !octors, +ureaucrats an! other 'rofessionals un!er the 'resent

reser ation 'olicy. 3here+y 'romotin) incom'etent 'eo'le an! 'romotes these 'eo'le o er

!eser in) an! 4ualifie! in!i i!uals. Amon) them the ma*orly conteste! 4uestion will +e a+out

the nee! for reser ation in 'romotions.

&f one takes a look at the issue o+*ecti ely one will reali2e that the intention +ehin! reser ations

is not faulty at all +ut it is the im'lication an! the a''lication of it that has 'ro e! ineffecti e.

3he way reser ation has +een im'lemente! all these years has !ee'ene! an! a))ra ate! the caste

!istinctions in the society, mar)inali2e! the 'oor an! the nee!y an! has +enefite! only the

to'most layer of the so calle! Backwar! classes. 3he +enefit of reser ation has faile! to trickle

!own to the lowest section of the society. Moreo er, it has kille! the s'irit of +rotherhoo! an!

healthy com'etition, the !esire to sur)e forwar! an! to work har!. Jet all this statements can +e

counter ar)ue! +y 'ro'erly im'lementin) the true essence of the 'olicy of reser ation. A solution

attri+ute! +y the concerne! citi2ens to this is that, rather than em+e!!in) a 'ro iso in the

constitution that ensures reser ations in 'romotions, what we nee! is a constitutional amen!ment

that will )i e any state or institution currently su+*ect to reser ations a 1E-year win!ow in which

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to try out alternate affirmati e i!eas an! 'lans, su+*ect to 'erio!ic re iews. At the en! of 1E

years, if the 'lan is a failure, the amen!ment can +e ma!e to automatically la'se an! com'ulsory

reser ations man!ate! instea!. 3his seems to +e a fair enou)h i!ea that can +e im'lemente! yet

its outcomes still remain a +lurre! reality. 3he main reason a!!uce! for )i in) 'romotions on a

caste +asis is that there are ery few SC S3 can!i!ates in the hi)her echelons of )o ernment. &n

or!er to +rin) a+out e4uality in this arena, the e(istin) 'ro isions in the constitution itself seems

to +e fair enou)h. Jet the a''lication of the 'roce!ure ou)ht to +e tar)ete! an! *ustifie! throu)h

all means. 3he !uty to im'lement the rule of reser ation is a constitutional !uty to +e 'erforme!

honestly, sincerely an! in its true content an! s'irit an! the 'u+lic ser ant entruste! with the !utyan! 'ower to im'lement it, shoul! +e accounta+le. 3he !iscretionary 'ower of the State to make

re4uisite reser ation is a+solutely *ustifie!. = ery !iscretionary 'ower is not necessarily

!iscriminatory. =4uality is not iolate! +y mere conferment of !iscretionary 'ower. &t is iolate!

+y ar+itrary e(ercise +y those on whom it is conferre!. 3he 'ro isions un!er Article 1576-A8 are

'ermissi e in nature. 3hey lea e it to the state to 'ro i!e for reser ation. 3he 'ro isions

re)ar!in) the reser ation in 'romotion is ma!e +y Go ernment +y enactin) a law 'ro i!in) for

reser ation kee'in) in min! the 'arameters in Article 15768 an! Article ::D.

3he State is not +oun! to make reser ation for Sche!ule! Castes or Sche!ule!

3ri+es in matters of 'romotion. ;owe er, if they wish to e(ercise their !iscretion an! make

reser ations in 'romotions, the State ha e to collect 4uantifia+le !ata showin) +ackwar!ness of

the class an! ina!e4uacy of re'resentation of that class in 'u+lic em'loyment, kee'in) in min!

maintenance of efficiency, as in!icate! +y Article ::D. 3he conce'ts of efficiency, +ackwar!ness,

ina!e4uacy of re'resentation are re4uire! to +e i!entifie! an! measure!. 3hat e(ercise !e'en!s

on a aila+ility of !ata. 3hat e(ercise !e'en!s on numerous factors. &t is for this reason that

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ena+lin) 'ro isions are re4uire! to +e ma!e +ecause each com'etin) claim seeks to achie e

certain )oals.

5o-+/u io-

/eser ation in 'romotions +ecomes socially *ustifie! when it is im'lemente! +y assimilatin) the

true i!ea of its connotation. 3he !octrine of e4uality of o''ortunity in Art. 15718 is to +e

reconcile! in fa or of +ackwar! classes un!er Art. 15768 in such a manner that Art.15768, while

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ser in) the cause of +ackwar! classes shall not unreasona+ly encroach u'on the fiel! of e4uality.

&t is necessary to strike such a +alance so as to attract meritorious an! talente! 'ersons to the

'u+lic ser ices. &t is also necessary to ensure that the rule of a!e4uate re'resentation in Art.15768

for the +ackwar! classes an! the rule of a!e4uate re'resentation in 'romotion for SC S3 un!er

Art.1576-A8 !o not a! ersely affect the efficiency in a!ministration which is a tantamount of the

4uality of the workin) in!i i!uals within it.

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Bib/io raphy

5a e

Ashok Kumar Gupta State of Uttar Pradesh 71 $8DSCC#E1

Ajith Singh (II) . State of Punjab 71 8$SCC#E

State of ihar . a! Mukund Shah ( #EEE86SCC 56E

Union of India . "irpa! Singh #hauhan A&/ 1 5 SC 66%

Indra S$ahne% . Union of India A&/ #EEE SC 6 %

Ajit Singh &anuja . State of Punjab A&/ 1 5 SC 11%%

adappana'ar . State of Karnataka 3 #EEE7Su''l.:8 SC 6E%

M. Nagaraj . Union of India ,7#EE58 % SCC #1#

Boo,

ur)a as Basu, Shorter Constitution 9f &n!ia, H9L 1, Le(is e(is

Mahen!ra 0 *ain, &n!ian Constitutional Law, Hol &

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